1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a medical device and method for removing fluid or semi-fluid lesions from the body such as a cystic mass, infected appendix, gallbladder or the like.
2. Background Art
Medical Practitioners are often required to remove or repair fluid or semi-fluid filled masses or organs in the abdomen that are of an inherent infectious or inflammatory nature should they rupture and spill into the abdomen. For example, gynecologists are often required to remove malignant, sebaceous or endometriotic ovarian cysts whose fluids are best contained and isolated from healthy tissues. Similarly, physicians are also often required to remove infected ovaries, fallopian tubes, appendixes or gallbladders whose contents are best contained and isolated.
These surgical procedures are commonly done laparoscopically which involves remote access with multiple punctures of the abdominal wall which incisions have inherently greater risks for the patient of both a medical cost, and safety nature. Laparoscopic approaches to large masses are often associated with spillage and contamination of the peritoneal cavity. Retrieval of these tissues requires extending incisions, and often is associated with fragmentation of the specimen and spillage. If fluid from a malignant ovarian cyst spills, it advances the stage of the cancer and may increase the aggressiveness of the treatment required to treat the cancer. Additionally, laparoscopy requires general anaesthesia, as opposed to regional or spinal anaesthesia which is inherently safer, and affords a more pain free recovery period.
Several different medical devices have been developed in order to aid in these types of surgeries. For example, Chinese Patent CN2549916Y issued to Applicant SHI XUEFANG illustrates a tube through which a needle passes to puncture a fluid filled mass. Suction is applied to the tube in order to aspirate the fluid from the mass. This suction, however, is applied by use of a suction bulb. It is also difficult for the medical practitioner to determine exactly what is occurring inside the tube as it has multiple layers which are not transparent.
Other medical devices such as that disclosed in US Publication No. US 2004/0158261 are very complicated and many things could go wrong during their operation. US 2004/0158261 discloses a device for removing an ovarian cyst that utilizes a sack that encapsulates the cyst and then removes it. This, however, requires that the cyst fit in the sack and that the medical practitioner utilizing the device can encircle the cyst without complications. These limitations reduce the viability of the medical device disclosed in this publication.
Accordingly, what is needed is a medical device for draining and removing cystic masses, appendixes, gallbladders and the like, which is relatively uncomplicated and allows the medical practitioner to easily view, manipulate, aspirate, and amputate the contents and the lesion being removed or repaired through a small incision without the requirement of inflation of the abdomen or a pneumoperitoneum and general anaesthesia.